Opening Reception for "Nights at the PAL Hop: How Music Can Change History"

As the first Kids as Curators exhibition of 2019, students from Edward Little High School (ELHS) are curating, designing, and installing an exhibit in Museum L-A’s gallery space focused on the history of music in the local community titled “Nights at the PAL Hop: How Music Can Change History”. TheKids as Curators program is a collaborative effort between Museum L-A and students in the Lewiston-Auburn area to create a special exhibition. The public is invited to attend the free opening reception with a live musical performance of a student-led band from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm on Wednesday, January 16, 2019.

For this exhibit, the co-teacher team of Alyssa McLean and Sarah Brooks of ELHS approached Museum L-A with a new take on this long-standing educational program. Their idea combined students from two departments, music and social studies, and asked them to explore the history of music in the local area. Over the past semester, these kids delved into each decade to understand what music was popular and why. Much of their research centered around the famed PAL Hop of Lewiston, a local dance hall that many L-A residents may remember.

"I'm so proud of the creativity and professional work my students have put in to make this exhibit happen. We asked them to do a very large task but they rose to the challenge and worked really hard. They learned a lot along the way and had a lot of fun doing it,” says Alyssa McLean.

“Nights at the PAL Hop” will be the first of four Kids as Curators exhibitions for Museum L-A throughout the year as well as the kick off of programming coordinated by museum staff as part of the Historical Committee for the 150th-anniversary celebration of the City of Auburn. The museum will be working with Auburn students from elementary school to high school to create exhibits held in locations around the community to showcase the history, the people, and the positivity of the younger generations during the city’s very special year. Check Museum L-A’s website for more information on these upcoming exhibitions.

“It is always amazing to see what our children are capable of as they work and become the curators of our local history as seen through their eyes,” says Rachel Desgrosseilliers, Executive Director. “Not only are we excited that more classes are taking advantage of this program but that we can get the students involved in the yearlong 150th Anniversary Celebrations of Auburn.” This Kids as Curators exhibit has received support from Auburn’s 150th Anniversary Committee.

Museum L-A is located in the Bates Mill Complex at 35 Canal Street in Lewiston, Maine. Its hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday from 10 am to 4 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm. Special tour requests and large group tours outside of these hours are available by appointment.